"Significant Progress" Made In Norfolk Schools

13 June 2014, 10:09 | Updated: 13 June 2014, 10:19

Schools across Norfolk are on track to meet their targets this summer, with 70 per cent of schools being classed as 'good' or 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

The first meeting of the new Children's Services Committee on Tuesday (17 June) at Norfolk County Council will show that schools have made "significant progress" according to Ofsted and data reports. 

Schools are also on track to meet targets in the Early Years, Key Stage 2 and GCSE, according to data collected in the second half of the spring term. 

With a term still to go, primary schools are predicting that they have already achieved their Key Stage 2 target of 77% of children achieving at least a Level 4 in reading, writing and maths, compared to 71% last year.

At GCSE level, schools are predicting a 4 per cent increase in students getting five or more GCSE's graded A*-C, up to 58 per cent. 

James Joyce, Chairman of the Children's Services Committee at Norfolk County Council, said: "The last year has seen intense focus on the education system in Norfolk and there has been a real will and determination for everyone involved to rise to the challenge and ensure that Norfolk's children are receiving the education they are entitled to.

"There has been much more intense scrutiny from the County Council and we have invested in earlier challenge and support to schools that need extra help - the emphasis has been on schools working together, sharing best practice and making use of the outstanding teaching and learning that is already happening across the county.

"There is still a long way to go. Whilst schools are on track to achieve these ambitious targets, we are not there yet and we need to make sure that in the last term of the academic year the focus is maintained. Our priority has to be to reach and then move past the national average because that is what Norfolk's children deserve."

The report to the committee also shows that there's been improvement in the outcomes of Ofsted reports since July 2012. 

The number of primary schools judged to be 'good' or 'better' is up 10 per cent to 70 and in secondary schools the proportion of 'good' or 'outstanding' schools is up to 65 per cent from 47.